Historical Society tells tales of Kitching Switch near Sebastian

Plane had engine problems before crashing on Fellsmere ranch, FAA officials say

FELLSMERE — A small plane experienced engine problems midflight, causing its pilot to make a forced landing in a private ranch Thursday, according to a preliminary report from the FAA. The pilot, a man, was flown to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce with serious injuries. An update on the man's condition was not available on Friday. The pilot was the only person aboard the privately-owned Aviat Pitts S-2B, which is an aerobatic biplane. Fellsmere police, Indian River County deputies and fire rescue crews responded to reports of a downed plane about 10:35 a.m. Thursday in an undeveloped area of land east of Interstate 95 in the city of Fellsmere. The collision occurred in an empty cow pasture two ...

Pilot injured in plane crash on ranch in Fellsmere

FELLSMERE — A pilot was seriously injured after the plane he was in crashed along a private ranch just east of Interstate 95, police said. The name of the pilot, whom officials described as a man, was not publicly released. "The (pilot's) family has been notified," said Keith Touchberry, police chief for the Fellsmere Police Department. FAA officials said the plane was an Aviat Pitts S-2B, which is an aerobatic biplane. The pilot was the only person aboard the privately-owned aircraft, Touchberry said. Ranch personnel saw the plane overhead and heard the loud crash moments later. "They called 911 after hearing (the crash)," Touchberry said. The incident involving the single-engine plane happened about 10:35 a.m. Thursday in an undeveloped area of ...

Section of C.R. 512 in Fellsmere reopens after collapse from Hurricane Milton

FELLSMERE — A portion of County Road 512 that collapsed from heavy rainfall during Hurricane Milton - leaving a large hole in the roadway - reopened to motorists on Friday. The street now has two new, 60-inch concrete pipes to handle rainwater with a capacity of 276 cubic feet per second, according to county officials. The new pipes will last for the next 50 years. Addie Javed, public works director for Indian River County, called the installation a "long-term fix" instead of a temporary one. "This has been a one-of-a-kind project in terms of collaboration. Having so many agencies involved, sometimes it can take a while to make sure everybody is on the same page in getting the project completed ...